Near To You
by alienofextraordinaryability
Summary: Such pain as this, shouldn't have to be experienced. I'm still reeling from the loss, still a little bit delirious. Near to you, I am healing, but it's taking so long. It's hard to move on, yet, I'm better near to you.
1. Gotta Let Go Sooner Or Later

_Author's Note: So I started a new fic. I had this idea and needed to write about it! _

_Summary:_

_Lucas Scott had it all, a best-selling novel, a fiancee he loved, and an unborn daughter. One night the love of his life, Brooke Davis, went into labor. 70 hours later, their little girl came into the world...but Brooke didn't make it. It's been six years, and his brother Nathan is trying desperately to get him to move on. One night he meets a beautiful blonde stranger at a bar. Their one night stand ends on a sour note, and Lucas plans on forgetting about her. But what does destiny have in store for the two of them? _

**Chapter One: Gotta Let Go Sooner Or Later**

"Come on Luke...loosen up." Lucas Scott sat at the bar with his brother, not really wanting to be out at all.

"You expect me to loosen up? How? I can't believe I let you talk me into leaving Corrie with Rachel!" Nathan sighed and motioned to the bartender, ordering a shot of tequila.

"First of all, Rachel is good with kids, believe it or not. Second of all, it's time for you to get back out there. It's been almost 6 years Luke...you gotta move past it." Nathan said, handing the shot to him. Lucas downed the shot and adjusted his shoulders, loosening his tie.

"I'll show you loosened up...I'll be the loosest guy in here." he muttered, ordering another shot, slinging it back.

"That a boy! Now go hit on some girls man!" To both of their surprise, Lucas stood up and started walking around the bar. "His fiancee died a while back...I'm trying to get him to move past it." Nathan told the bartender, who was giving him a weird look.

"Do you really think a bar is the best place to get him back in the field? I mean, it's not like any of these girls will remember him in the morning."

"What's your name? Owen is it?" he asked, squinting as he tried to read the guys name tag. "This is exactly what he needs. A meaningless hook up." Owen just smirked and shook his head.

"Hookups are never meaningless." Nate raised an eyebrow.

"You are probably the weirdest person I've ever met. I'm not understanding your logic here...how is a random hookup not meaningless?"

"Man, slim pickings." Lucas said, interrupting, sitting down next to Nathan.

"There has to be someone in here." he replied, turning around so he was looking out at the crowd. "What about the blonde headed this way?" he asked, turning back around. "She looks like she'd be your type...talk to her." The girl sat down at the bar and ordered an apple martini. She set a sketchbook down on the bar and Lucas glanced over at it. There was a big red NOFX sticker on the front.

"That's me inside your head." he said to her after a few moments.

"What?" she questioned, looking over at him.

"NOFX...that's me inside your head. It's the lyrics to-."

"I know the song."

"I'm Lucas. Lucas Scott."

"Peyton Sawyer." It was obvious to Lucas that this girl wasn't very talkative, and was definitely used to having guys hit on her. "Thanks." she said, sending the bartender a smile when he handed her her drink.

"You must be really used to this...guys hitting on you in bars."

"Just a bit. But hey, if you're pretty, guys will hit on you."

"A little cocky aren't we?" he asked with a smirk. "I never said I was hitting on you because of your looks."

"Then why were you hitting on me? My superb intellect? Or do I give off some vibe that you totally dig?" she asked, raising an eyebrow, clearly trying not to laugh.

"I guess it's your arrogance. And the fact that you can't hold your liquor." he teased.

"How do you know I can't hold my liquor?" she questioned, leaning closer to him.

"Because you ordered an apple martini." he said with a shrug. "Anyone who orders an apple martini, can't handle the hard liquors."

"Oh I can handle my liquor thank you. Probably even better than you Mr. Scott."

"Care to make a bet on that?"

"Alright...what were you thinking?"

"We'll see who can handle the most liquor...if I win, we go back to my place." Peyton smiled and nodded her head.

"Okay, and what if I win?"

"If you win, we'll go back to your place." Usually Peyton wasn't the type to flirt back with guys who tried to pick her up at bars, but Lucas seemed different.

"It's a bet." she said, holding her hand out to him.

"Alright." he said proudly, shaking her hand. "First rounds on me." Lucas ordered two shots of tequila, and two shots of vodka. "Good luck." he said, raising one of the small glasses to his lips.

"Save your good luck. You'll need it more than me." she replied with a wink, quickly gulping down the tequila, chasing it with the vodka. She shook her head roughly at the shock. Maybe the bet wasn't such a good idea, she hadn't had straight up hard alcohol in quite some time. Being a teacher didn't allow her much drinking time.

"We should probably get to know each other a little bit. We can ask each other questions while we drink." he suggested. "Pick your poison." They could just get sent continuous shots of the same alcohol all night.

"I'll stick with the vodka." she decided. It was a lot easier for her to handle than tequila.

"Two shots of vodka, and keep 'em coming." he told the bartender before turning back to face Peyton.

"So, how old are you?"

"24. You?"

"24 actually." he replied, taking the shot.

"What do you do for a living? Oh wait, let me guess...you're a big shot lawyer." she asked.

"God no. Why did you guess that?"

"Well...not many guys come to bars in suits and ties unless they're some hotshot lawyer, or some other ridiculously important person." she replied, taking her shot as well.

"There is such a thing as dressing up Peyton. But no, I'm an author, and I own a chain of bookstores. Lame I know."

"No, that's not lame Luke." she said, her hand resting on his arm. "That's a good steady job. Most guys are stuck working at small corporations praying they'll get a promotion." she added with a laugh. Peyton looked into his eyes and neither of them said a word. Then she realized that she was touching him and pulled back. "Sorry." she said softly, thankful for the kind of dark atmosphere of the bar, he couldn't see her blushing profusely.

"Don't be." he said quietly, smiling at her. She was really beautiful, and Lucas was a bit nervous. He hadn't really been attracted to anyone after Brooke died. There had been the normal thinking girls were attractive, but no want to talk to them, or date at all. He didn't want to betray Brooke, but he was tired of being alone. "What about you? What do you do for a living?"

"I teach. It doesn't pay the best but I love kids." She also taught because she didn't have any children of her own, and was pretty sure kids weren't in her immediate future. Her last boyfriend, Julian, had cheated on her with some model turned actress. They had been dating for about 4 years, so Peyton pretty much swore off men and relationships. But something about Lucas was getting to her. He was possibly the most gorgeous man she had ever seen, but they had met in a bar...was that any way to start something real? Probably not. So Peyton didn't expect much.

"Damn, if we had teachers like you back when I was in school, I would have gone to school a hell of a lot more." Lucas said with a smirk. Peyton laughed and took another shot.

"A little cheesy Scott, but thanks." she replied, smiling at him. She ran a hand through her curls, fanning her face lightly. "I think you might win this bet." she told him seriously. "Is it hot in here or is it just me?"

"It's a bit warm in here, but you are very hot." he said. He was pretty good with the cheesy compliments and pickup lines, but he meant what he said, and most girls thought it was cute. She just smiled and downed another shot.

"It's gonna be a long night." The night continued on and Peyton and Lucas continued to down shot after shot. At this rate, they both felt like they were going to drink themselves into a coma.

"I give up! You my friend win!" Peyton exclaimed, setting her empty shot glass upside down on the bar. "If I drink anymore, I'll either puke, or pass out. Maybe both."

"I win. I knew you wouldn't be able to out drink me Sawyer." he teased, a wide grin on his face. Maybe Tomorrow started playing and Peyton jumped up from the stool, almost falling down but managing to keep herself standing.

"I love this song!! Come dance with me!" She grabbed his hands and pulled him onto the small dance floor.

"Just warning you...I'm not the greatest dancer." he whispered in her ear.

"That's okay...I'll teach you." she whispered back. Peyton started dancing, her hands resting up on his shoulders, pressing her body into his. She moved up and down slowly, turning around so her back was to him. Lucas's hands gripped her waist, pulling her back so she was flush against him. Her body moved to the music, her hands in her hair, then reaching back and running down his legs. Lucas slid his mouth down a bit, his lips landing on her neck, placing a soft kiss on the nape. Peyton felt shivers run through her body, and she turned around so she was facing him. Her lips crashed into his, moving slowly and sensually against his. Within moments his tongue was in her mouth, fighting with her for ultimate control. He won, exploring her mouth, his tongue brushing against hers every now and then. Their bodies stopped moving to the music, and they stood there, her arms wrapping around his neck, his hands at her waist, his thumb brushing against the smooth material of her dress. They finally pulled away when they needed some oxygen, but there faces were still close, their lips inches apart. They looked into each others eyes, amazed that this was happening. "Let's go back to your place." she whispered. Lucas nodded his head, sliding his hand into Peyton's. He quickly glanced around but Nathan was nowhere to be found. They walked outside and Lucas sighed. They had both been drinking like crazy, and Nathan had brought him here.

"We're gonna have to take a taxi." he told her, pulling out his cellphone. He quickly dialed and got a cab. They stood outside, waiting, their hands connected.

"It's so cold out here." she said quietly, shivering. He took off the jacket to his suit and slid it onto her shoulders.

"I can warm you up." he whispered, pulling her close to him and recapturing her lips with his. The kiss was gentler, more passionate and softer. A continuous press of his mouth to hers. They pulled apart when a pair of high beams shined on them. It was their taxi. They climbed in and Lucas gave the driver the address. "Step on it." he told him, smiling softly at Peyton. And step on it he did. Within about five minutes they were at Lucas' house. He paid the fare and helped her out, leading her into his house. As soon as the door shut behind them, their mouths reconnected. He lifted her up and she wrapped her legs securely around his waist. He stumbled up the stairs, pressing his hand firmly against the wall to keep his balance. The door to his bedroom was already partially open so he just kicked it open all the way with his foot. He tossed her lightly onto his bed and pulled off his tie, kicking off his shoes and climbing on top of her. She slid her heels off, letting them fall to the floor. She pulled his lips down to hers and slowly unbuttoned his shirt. His hands slid under her dress, moving it up her body in an effort to slip it over her head. She helped him and he pulled the dress over her head, tossing it aside. He pulled away from her for a moment, to look at her. "My god you're beautiful." he mumbled, leaning down and pressing soft kisses on her stomach, making a trail back up to her mouth. Her hands slid his shirt off his shoulders, running over his bare chest and his broad back. She hastily reached for the button on his pants, taking them off quickly.

"God Luke..." she mumbled against his lips. He reached over to the bedside table, and rummaged for a condom. Peyton shoved his boxers down, her fingertips brushing against him, causing him to moan. "I need you." she whispered. He ripped open the condom wrapper, fumbling as he slid it onto himself. Lucas wasted no time and thrusted himself into her. Moans twisted together, filling the room. Their bodies moved together as one, slow, sensual. It was perfect to say the least. It was brief, but sweet. Lucas collapsed next to her after they came together, unable to hold himself above her anymore. They were both breathing heavily, a sheet loosely draped over them. They turned on their sides so they were facing each other. He leaned forward and kissed her softly.

"Sweet dreams Peyton." he whispered, pulling her close to him.

"Goodnight Lucas Scott." she whispered, cuddling close to him, letting her head rest against his warm chest. They lay together, their limbs intertwined, both of them knowing that this hadn't been some meaningless one night stand. Peyton woke up the next morning, her head pounding, a pair of muscular arms encircling her waist. She looked over at Lucas and smiled. She had a vague recollection of last night. What she remembered most was how amazing he had been in bed, and how sweet he had been to her at the bar. She sat up slowly, trying not to wake him up. She looked next to her, seeing a couple pictures. Peyton looked back to Lucas and then picked up the pictures. One was of him and a little girl, the frame said 'I love my daddy'. He was a father? The other picture was of a brunette, who was very pregnant. _'Oh god, oh god. He's a dad? And he has a girlfriend? Hell she could be his wife for all I know! Oh my god... I can't believe I slept with him.'_ she thought to herself. She stood up and got dressed, sliding on her shoes.

"Hey. Where are you going?" Lucas asked, ignoring the fierce pounding in his head. She grabbed a pillow and threw it at him.

"You have a kid?! And a girlfriend? Or what, fiancee? Wife?! I can't believe you. You, Lucas Scott, are a cheating pig!" she exclaimed, turning and hurrying out of his room. Lucas sat up in bed, running a hand over his face. He noticed the pictures were now laying down on the table. She had seen them.

"Fuck!" he exclaimed, chucking the pillow at the wall, knocking down a framed award. She had left before he had a chance to explain. He wanted to go after her, but knew that wasn't the best idea. So, he would forget about her, think of her as some one night stand gone horribly wrong. But, fate had a completely different plan.

_A/N: Here's chapter one, it took me forever to write so I hope you like it. R&R!! _


	2. Fate Works In Mysterious Ways

_A/N: Thanks for the reviews, I love the feedback!! I'm glad people like it. Here's chapter two._

**Chapter Two: Fate Works In Mysterious Ways**

After about 3 cups of coffee, and a large dose of aspirin, Lucas decided to go pick up his daughter. On the way to Nathan's, his thoughts reverted back to Peyton. Her body was perfect, and it had felt so right having her in his arms.

"Stop it! She wants absolutely nothing to do with you. Besides, you'll never see her again. You don't have her address, you don't have her phone number, nothing. It just wasn't meant to be." he reprimanded himself. He had to let go, move past his one night stand. But his heart was screaming at him, telling him it wasn't just a one night stand, it had meant so much more than that. Lucas pulled into the driveway and made his way inside. "Where's my little princess?"

"Daddy!" A little girl with dirty blonde hair came racing towards him, leaping into his arms. "Look what I drew you!" she said excitedly. Lucas looked at the picture Corrie had in her hands.

"Wow. That's a beautiful picture. Is that me?" he asked, pointing to a small stick figure on the paper.

"Yeah! And this is me, and this is our puppy."

"Corrie...we don't have a puppy." he said, raising an eyebrow.

"Not yet daddy. I'm asking for one for my birthday, duh." she said, rolling her eyes. She slid out of his grasp and grabbed a hold of his hand, pulling him towards the kitchen. "Auntie Rachel is making waffles!" He walked in and saw Rachel standing at the stove cooking, and Nate sitting at the table, drinking a cup of coffee.

"Hey man! How'd things go last night?" he asked with a smirk.

"Really good...then, not so good." he replied with a shrug

"Nate, why don't you and Luke go talk in the other room." Rachel suggested, knowing that this conversation shouldn't be had in front of a 5 year old girl. "You want to help me make the rest of the waffles, Cor?" she asked her.

"Yeah, yeah!"

"Thanks Rachel." Lucas said appreciatively, standing up from the table.

"That's what family is for." A part of him still thought it was weird that him and Rachel were related now. Her and Nathan had eloped a few months ago, they were going to have a big wedding, they just weren't sure when.

"So tell me what happened. I mean, last I saw, you two were pretty close on the dance floor." Nathan said, sitting down on the couch.

"Well...we got really into it." he said with a shrug. "We went back to my place, one thing lead to another...it was perfect." Lucas didn't like that he was talking about this, he vowed that this would be the last time he ever talked about his one night stand with Peyton Sawyer. "She woke up before me this morning and found the pictures I keep next to my bed...of me and Corrie, and the one of Brooke...she got the wrong idea, called me a cheating pig, and left."

"Ouch..." he said softly. He knew talking about Brooke wasn't easy for him, so he didn't say anything about that. "But this is easily fixable man. Just tell her the real story...set the record straight."

"I can't. I don't have her phone number, I don't know where she lives...it's just not meant to be."

"Don't let it get you down then. This was just one girl...there'll be more." Nate said, trying to be reassuring. Lucas wanted to tell him that Peyton wasn't just another girl, that his connection with her had been obvious from the start, that he couldn't get her out of his head. But he didn't.

"Maybe..."

"Breakfast is ready!!" Corrie called out to them. They got up and walked back into the kitchen, sitting down at the table. Rachel set the plate of waffles on the middle of the table, making sure everyone had everything they needed.

"Thank you baby." Nathan said with a smile, kissing Rachel softly.

"Daddy?" she asked.

"Yeah?"

"When are you going to find someone to kiss?"

"I don't know sweetheart...why?"

"Well, I asked auntie Rachel why her and uncle Nathan kiss, and she said it was because they love each other. And I think it's time you have someone to love daddy." she said seriously. Lucas laughed softly and shrugged.

"But I have you."

"I still think you should find someone to kiss. Uncle Nathan said that you should start looking now before its too late." Lucas glared at Nathan who just smirked and looked down at his plate. "I'm the only girl in my grade without a mommy..." she added in a whisper. "So can you try to find someone to kiss?" she asked, giving him her best puppy dog eyes. He sighed softly and nodded his head.

"Yeah...I'll find someone to kiss." Corrie smiled happily.

"Thanks daddy." she said sincerely. She would help her daddy...she would find him someone to kiss...

"Corrie! Hurry up! We're gonna be late." he called up the stairs. Summer was officially over, which meant that Corrie was heading back to school.

"Hold your horses! I'm coming!" she called back, walking down the stairs. "Did you make my lunch?"

"Yes." he said, handing her the Cinderella lunch box. "Peanut butter and jelly with the crusts cut off, an orange, apple juice box, and a couple cookies."

"Thanks daddy!"

"Now we have to go. Don't want to be late for your first day of school." They got into the car and Lucas drove towards her school, letting her listen to the Disney Princess CD Rachel and Nathan had bought her. They managed to get there in record time. Corrie was out of the car before Lucas.

"Come on daddy!" she exclaimed, opening his car door and pulling him out of the car. He walked with her into school, all the teachers were lined up next to their doors, smiling and talking with the nervous parents. He looked at the room number she was in and glanced up at the door numbers.

"Okay, your room is the next door on the right." he said, looking up, his mouth practically hanging open. There she was...standing at the doorway of his daughter's classroom...Peyton. "Peyton?" he said softly, a bit amazed. Peyton sighed softly when she saw Lucas. Why was this happening to her? She had actually felt a connection, chemistry, with him, and now she had to teach his daughter? Well, she could handle it. She had to.

"I'm Corrie Scott!" she piped up, a big smile on her face. Peyton smiled and bent down so she was at her level.

"I'm Peyton Sawyer. Nice to meet you."

"And this is my daddy. Lucas Scott." Corries added, oblivious to the fact that they already knew each other.

"Nice to meet you too Mr. Scott." she said courteously. "Corrie, could you go pick out a seat? I'll be in soon to start class."

"Okay. Bye daddy! See you after school." She gave her dad a quick hug before hurrying into class, wanting to get a good seat.

"Peyton...we need to talk." Lucas said softly.

"No we don't, especially not here." she said, running a hand through her curls. We have absolutely nothing to discuss."

"But you didn't even let me explain..."

"Explain? What's there to explain? You have a child, and you're in a relationship. End of story."

"But Peyton I'm not-."

"School ends at 2. Goodbye Mr. Scott." she cut him off, walking into her classroom. Lucas wanted to punch something, or yell. But, he didn't. Peyton was teaching his daughter now...he would have plenty of time to try and discuss this with her. Fate worked in mysterious ways, and for once it was finally working in Lucas's favor.


	3. Angels And Apologies

_A/N: The reviews are amazing!!! Keep 'em coming! _

_My friend (rathanislove) has started a new fanfic called Show Me How To Live. Right now it's mainly Rathan, but she'll be putting Leyton in there as well if you want to read it. _

_Here's chapter three! _

**Chapter Three: Angels and Apologies**

"Good morning everyone!" Peyton said with a smile.

"Good morning Ms. Sawyer!" the students replied in unison. They were all so excited to be in school, and to learn. That was the main reason why she decided to teach younger children. They were at that age where they genuinely liked going to school. She picked up a stack of drawing paper off of her desk, handing one to each student.

"I was thinking that today we could all get to know each other a little better. So, we're gonna start off drawing pictures of our families." she told them, getting a positive response. "Crayons and colored pencils are on the back table...go ahead." She watched as the kids raced to the back of the room, snatching up whatever they could. Once they were all settled back in their seats, Peyton sat at her desk, working on a drawing of her own. After about a half an hour, most of the kids had finished their drawings, so Peyton started walking around the room, talking to the kids about what they drew. There was the usual, families standing on short blades of grass in front of their house with the smiley face sun shining up in the corner of the paper. A couple had older siblings hanging from trees or stuck on the triangular roof of their house. Peyton walked over to Corrie, who was still drawing in details. "Hi Corrie...can I see your picture?"

"Mhm...one second." Peyton smiled as she watched her draw. She was reminded a lot of herself. "Okay, done!" she stated proudly, showing Peyton the picture.

"So who are the people in this picture?" she asked.

"Well, this tall guy is my daddy, and this one is me." she said with a smile. "And my mommy is up here." she added, pointing at the figure in the sky.

"Why is your mommy up there?" she asked curiously.

"Because daddy says that now mommy is flying with all the angels." Corrie told her with a smile. Peyton felt the guilt rising up in her. Her mother was dead? She swallowed the lump in her throat and smiled at Corrie.

"You know...my mommy is flying with the angels too." she told her. Corrie's mouth hung open, a wide smile forming on her face.

"Maybe our mommy's are flying together!" she said excitedly.

"I bet they are."

--

The rest of the day went by smoothly, but she couldn't push the guilt away. At the end of the day, she brought the children outside to play while they waited for their parents to pick them up. She sat on the bench, her knees shaking. After a few minutes, there were only two children left, one of them being Corrie. The anxiousness was getting to her.

"Daddy!!" Peyton looked up quickly, seeing Lucas walking towards Corrie.

"Hey sweetpea. Sorry I'm late." he said apologetically.

"Daddy, guess what!"

"What?"

"Ms. Sawyer's mommy is flying with the angels too!" she told him excitedly. Lucas glanced over at Peyton nervously. Did she know?

"Really? Wow...maybe they keep each other company." he said, smiling down at his daughter. "Corrie, why don't you go play a little bit longer while I talk to Ms. Sawyer." Corrie nodded and walked over to the jungle gym, sitting down on one of the swings, kicking her feet in the sand. She watched her dad standing there, staring at Ms. Sawyer. Didn't he want to talk to her? Corrie didn't understand why he was staring at her so intently.

"Hey there pretty lady." Corrie glanced over at the little boy that sat in the swing next to her. She sighed and rolled her eyes, looking back at her dad, who still hadn't moved. "Sorry..." the little boy said quietly. "You just looked sad, and whenever my daddy says that to my mommy she always smiles."

"Well I think that only works if you know the person you say it to." she replied simply.

"My name is Chris Keller Junior. But everyone just calls me CJ." he told her.

"I'm Corrie Scott. You can call me Corrie."

"Why are you staring at them?" he asked intrigued.

"Because...I think my daddy likes Ms. Sawyer. And I want to see what happens." She wanted to see if they would kiss.

"Don't you have a mommy?"

"My mommy is up in heaven, with the angels now."

"Oh. Do you think she likes it up there?" Corrie took her gaze away from the adults to look over at CJ.

"Yeah. She gets to fly around everyday, she has pretty wings, and she still gets to watch over me everyday... I know she loves it."

"CJ!" Corrie looked up and saw a woman hurrying towards them.

"Hi momma!"

"Sorry I'm late sweetie. My appointment ran late and daddy wasn't answering his phone." she told him apologetically.

"It's okay. Momma, this is Corrie. She's my new friend." he told her with a smile. Corrie smiled and nodded. CJ was nice enough, they could be friends.

"My names Corrie Scott."

"Nice to meet you Corrie. My name is Haley." she told her with a smile.

"Nice to meet you too." she said quietly, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear.

"Maybe you can come over one day and have a play date with CJ."

"Mom..." he said, rolling his eyes. He stood up from the swing and grabbed a hold of his moms hand. "Bye Corrie. I'll see you tomorrow."

"Bye." she said with a smile, waving as they walked away. She immediately returned her gaze to her dad, who was now sitting next to Ms. Sawyer on the bench.

"So you know?" he asked quietly. Peyton nodded her head, trying to figure out what to say.

"Yeah...Luke I'm so sorry. I had no idea."

"You're right."

"What?"

"You had no idea! You jumped to conclusions and didn't even give me the chance to explain."

"What else was I supposed to think?"

"I don't blame you for assuming, but you could have at least let me explain...I wanted to tell you the truth, but last night just didn't seem like the right time."

"You should have just told me."

"What should I have said? Oh so I was engaged, my fiancee got pregnant, but she died after giving birth? How would you have reacted to that, huh? You would have felt bad for me, and I didn't want your pity."

"I wouldn't have pitied you Luke...I would have...I mean I..."

"Exactly! And now you pity me, which is exactly what I didn't want to happen." he said with a sigh.

"Luke..." she said, resting her hand on his shoulder. "I don't pity you. I just feel guilty because I jumped to conclusions."

"Well I better get Corrie home." he said quickly, standing up and looking over at her. "I'll see you tomorrow Peyton." Lucas walked away and motioned for Corrie to join him. "Come on, let's go home!" Corrie slid from the swing and smiled over at Peyton.

"I'll see you tomorrow Ms. Sawyer!" she called to her happily before walking with Lucas to the car. Lucas made sure she was buckled in before climbing into the drivers seat.

"So how was your first day of school?" he asked, looking back at her through the rearview mirror.

"It was good. Ms. Sawyer is the greatest teacher." Lucas smiled and nodded his head. "And she's so pretty...don't you think so daddy?" Lucas raised an eyebrow at his daughter.

"I guess she's somewhat pretty." he said with a shrug.

"Daddy...I saw you staring at her. You think she's beautiful don't you?" Corrie smiled proudly, she was a very observant child. Lucas just shrugged off the question, not really wanting to get into that with his daughter. "I think that you and Ms. Sawyer should kiss." she decided.

"Oh you do?"

"Mhm. She's very pretty, and nice, and I like her. You couldn't stop staring at her daddy...and she was looking at you too. Ms. Sawyer would be a really good mommy..."

"We'll see Cor...we'll see." he told her softly.


	4. Coming To Terms

**Chapter Four: Coming To Terms**

"He hasn't even talked to her for a whole week!" Corrie exclaimed. She was sitting in the sandbox, playing with CJ. "How am I supposed to get a mommy if he won't even say hello to her?"

"Maybe you should make him talk to her." CJ suggested, like it was the simplest thing to do.

"You can't force people to talk to each other CJ. It's just...no." she replied with a shake of her head. Corrie scooped up some sand, dropping it into a bright yellow pail.

"Why doesn't he talk to her?"

"I don't know...maybe he just doesn't want me to have a mommy." she said with a shrug. CJ scooted closer to Corrie, wrapping an arm around her shoulder.

"Of course he wants you to have a mommy...maybe he's just scared?"

"Scared of what?" she asked quietly.

"Scared that she won't like him back?"

"I hope your right..." she said, smiling appreciatively at him. She had hung out with CJ practically every day for the past week, and she now saw him as her best friend.

"Hey yo Corrie!" She glanced up as she heard a familiar voice call her name.

"Uncle Nathan!" she exclaimed, jumping up and running into his arms. "Where's daddy?" she questioned, pulling back from their hug so she could look him in the eye.

"He had a little business meeting so he asked me to pick you up. Is that alright?"

"Yes!! You can help me!" she said excitedly, already planning things in her head.

"Help you with what?"

"Daddy likes Ms. Sawyer...but he won't talk to her...and I want her to be my new mommy." Nathan chuckled softly at her matter-of-fact attitude, and nodded his head.

"Alright...so how am I supposed to help?"

"I don't know! Aren't you supposed to know everything? You always say you're a ladies man..." she said, crossing her arms.

"I am a ladies man!" he argued in his defense.

"Than prove it, and go get Ms. Sawyer to make my daddy talk to her." she demanded.

"Alright, alright. I'll go." he said, putting her down and raising his hands in defeat.

"Thank you uncle Nathan." she said sweetly before racing back to CJ. "Come on...we have to go listen!" she told him, grabbing his arm.

"Listen to what?" he questioned, letting her pull him along.

"Shh!" she whispered, pointing over at Peyton and Nathan.

"You must be Peyton. I'm Nathan Scott, Lucas' brother." he said with a smile, holding his hand out to her. Peyton returned his smile and shook his hand.

"Nice to meet you." She wasn't sure why he was deciding to talk to her, and she had no clue what to say.

"This might sound really weird but, what are you doing tonight?"

"Are you asking me out?" she questioned a bit surprised.

"Not exactly..." he said, trailing off. "This was just a spur of the moment idea...why don't you have dinner with Corrie and Lucas tonight?"

"I'm pretty sure Lucas doesn't want me anywhere near him." she replied. "And I know for a fact he wouldn't approve of you setting us up."

"Lucas tends to close himself off sometimes...since he lost Brooke he's been a lot more, cautious with his heart, a lot more closed off you know?" he said with a shrug. "He just needs a little push, a lot of help."

"He hasn't said two words to me for a week...he hates me."

"My daddy doesn't hate you!" Corrie exclaimed from her spot near them. Peyton quickly looked over at her and sighed softly. She didn't know that Corrie had been listening in. "Please, please, please come to dinner." Peyton glared at Nathan and looked back at Corrie.

"Alright...I'll come to dinner."

"Yay!!" Corrie exclaimed excitedly, jumping up and wrapped her arms around Peyton's waist. "My daddy will be so excited!" She ran back to CJ, to tell him the good news herself.

"He's going to be so mad." Peyton said, turning her attention back to Nathan.

"I'll take all the blame, don't worry about it. Besides, did you see how excited Corrie was? How could he be mad when your making his little girl ridiculously happy?" Peyton smiled softly and nodded her head.

"Fine. But if he refuses to speak to me the entire night I blame you." she warned him.

"You won't regret this, I promise. You have their address right?" Nathan said. He was pretty sure he remembered his dad turning in an emergency contact form that had all the information on it.

"Yeah. When should I show up?"

"Around 7. Bring some wine or something." he suggested. "Thank you." Nathan smiled at her before turning and getting Corrie, they had some work to do.

"What are you gonna tell daddy?" Corrie asked as they walked to the car.

"I'll figure something out. Don't you worry about it."

--

Nathan walked around the living room, making sure the place was reasonably tidy. He was mumbling to himself, trying to figure out exactly what he was going to say to Lucas.

"You can't avoid her forever...this is your chance to be with someone, to give Corrie a mother...I know you, and I know you're excited about this...shit." he muttered, running a hand through his hair.

"That's a quarter!" Corrie said, crossing her arms and looking at Nathan.

"Sorry..." he said sheepishly. He had forgotten about the whole, swears cost a quarter, thing he started with her. "All I have is a dollar. Got any change?"

"Nope." she took the dollar and grinned at him. "When is daddy getting home? I already got dressed and everything!"

"He should be home soon...I think his meeting ran a little late."

"He's not gonna have enough time to make dinner!" she exclaimed.

"I'll help your daddy get the food ready if he needs help...it'll be fine." Nathan's head turned when he heard the door open. "Now go make sure all the rooms are nice and neat while I talk to your daddy." Corrie nodded and ran into the kitchen, not wanting to be around for the conversation.

"Sorry I'm late...there was major traffic." Lucas said apologetically, dropping his briefcase on the couch. "Whoa, this place is clean...what's the occasion?" he asked. His house never looked this clean, and Nathan never cleaned unless it was for something big.

"Well, uh, Peyton's coming over for dinner." he mumbled, not looking at Lucas.

"Excuse me? Who's coming over for dinner?" Lucas questioned.

"Oh just Peyton."

"Peyton Sawyer?!" he exclaimed, running a hand over his face. "Oh god."

"Take a deep breath...this is a good thing Luke."

"No it's not! I've been doing so good ignoring her...this ruins everything." he replied, sitting down on the couch.

"Oh yeah, speaking of ignoring her...why?" he questioned, crossing his arms.

"She pities me..." he replied quietly. "I told her my story and now she feels bad for me. I didn't want that!"

"Did she say flat out she pitied you? Because I'm not understanding how you landed on that conclusion."

"She was all apologetic and stuff. All 'I'm sorry's' and 'that must have been rough for you.' I don't need her pity."

"That's not what I'd call pity, Luke. That's being genuinely sorry for your loss. What else did you expect her to say? 'Well that sucks for you?' Now, Corrie loves Peyton, alright? So stop ignoring her, push your goddamn pride aside, and be a man. I know you love Brooke but you gotta let her go, you have to move on sooner or later." Lucas sighed softly and nodded his head. Nathan was right, as much as Lucas hated to admit it.

"I don't know if I can..."

"Dude, you practically had sex with her in a bar. Hell, you had sex with her! I'm pretty sure you can." he said, making sure he kept his voice quiet so Corrie wouldn't hear.

"Okay." he said with a nod. "I can do this."

"That's what I like to hear!" Nathan said, patting him on the back.

"But how do I explain completely ignoring her?"

"Simple. You tell her the truth." Lucas couldn't believe that Peyton would be in his house again, after he had acted like she didn't exist for a week.

"So what's for dinner?"

"I don't know...what are you making?" he asked.

"You're serious?" he questioned, receiving a nod from Nathan. "Okay, you need to go make sure Corrie's alright. Tell her to sit in the kitchen and wait for me. I have to go get changed." Lucas told him, walking upstairs and loosening his tie. He had already been pretty harsh to Peyton, and he wanted tonight to go well. He put on a pair of beige pants and a polo shirt; he had to look nice, but not like he was trying too hard. "God I feel like a chick." he mumbled, shaking his head. He wasn't supposed to obsess over his looks, he had to cook an entire dinner before she got there. Lucas put on some cologne and fixed his hair before heading back downstairs into the kitchen. "Corrie, did you have something to do with uncle Nathan asking Peyton to come over?" he asked her, raising an eyebrow.

"Kinda..." she said, a soft smile spreading over her features. "It was all uncle Nathan's idea to have dinner with her though!"

"Way to throw me under the bus kid!" Nathan called before he walked into the kitchen. "Listen, I gotta get going, Rachel just called and we...have to do some taxes." he said with a smirk. "Good luck with tonight, have fun." he told Lucas. "You too Cor. I'll see you later."

"Have fun doing your taxes uncle Nathan!" she exclaimed with a smile, waving as he walked out of the kitchen.

"Oh I will." And with that he left.

"Now I have to make dinner, why don't you go play for a bit?" Lucas suggested.

"Okay daddy...but if you need help, I'll be right in my room." she reminded him before skipping towards the stairs. Lucas smiled softly as his daughter left. She was definitely a cute kid. He snapped his mind back to the dinner. He had to prepare a meal, and he wasn't even sure how much time he had until she got there. He had some steak medallions, and those were Corrie's favorite. Steak and vegetables was going to have to do. If he had had more advanced notice he would have whipped up something better, but oh well. He started whipping the meal together, he was pretty much finished when he heard the doorbell ring. Lucas wiped his hands off on a clean towel and walked to the door, giving himself a little pep talk in his head. _'You can do this...just have a nice dinner, put Corrie to bed, tell Peyton the truth. Simple as that.' _He pulled open the door, and was stunned. She looked amazing.

"Hi." she said with a soft smile, a bit cautious. She wasn't exactly sure what reaction she would receive.

"Hi." he replied quietly, taking in every detail. "Come in." he added, stepping aside.

"Thanks. I brought you this." Peyton handed him the bottle of champagne once she was standing inside his home.

"Thank you. I'll open this right now." He led the way into the kitchen, hearing the stairs creak as Corrie ran down them.

"Hi Ms. Sawyer!" she said excitedly. "Wow...your dress is so pretty."

"Thank you. Your dress is very pretty too." she replied with a smile.

"Daddy, do you like Ms. Sawyer's dress?" she asked him sweetly.

"Uhh, yeah. She looks beautiful." he replied, his eyes locking with Peyton's. She tried not to blush. He had been ignoring her, she wasn't going to let his cutesy comments win out over her anger. Corrie smiled proudly and walked over to Ms. Sawyer.

"I'll bring you to the dining room. You can sit down, I'll help daddy with the food." she said, pulling Peyton gently into the dining room. Peyton was going to insist that she help, but kept her mouth shut. If they wanted to be nice and do everything, she would let them. She sat down, placing the napkin on her lap and looking around the room. Pictures of Lucas and Corrie covered the walls, Peyton figured there weren't any of his wife considering the circumstances. "Dinner is served." Corrie said with a wide grin as they walked back into the room. They set the food down on the table and sat down. This was kind of weird for Peyton, but she was looking forward to the dinner, and to see what Lucas had to say. Corrie sat down at the head of the table, Lucas sat directly across from Peyton.

"It's uh, steak and green beans with mashed potatoes." he told her, hoping the food turned out okay. "I hope it's alright...I'm usually a great chef but I had to kind of rush to make it." he added, apologizing in advance.

"I'm sure it'll be fine." she replied reassuringly. Corrie smiled as she watched her dad and Peyton making 'googly eyes' at each other. Her plan was working, and after dinner, she would push them closer together. She wanted a new mommy, and she wanted Ms. Sawyer to be her. If things went well tonight, she figured she would get a new mommy in no time.

_A/N: Voilaa. Chapter 4! I've already started working on chapter 5 so it should be up by the middle of next week. Thank you all for reviewing my story, it's truly appreciated. Keep on keeping on! The title is a song by Carolina Liar, they are an amazing band, if you haven't heard of them you should definitely look em up!! _


	5. About You Now

_Author's Note: Okay so how amazing was Monday's episode of One Tree Hill?! I was a little disappointed that she told him over the phone, but the ending scene more than made up for it in my eyes. It was absolutely gorgeous and the music fit so well. (Chad and Hil's chemistry was amazinggg. They're totally in love...I wish!) Anyways, that is the reason that this chapter is really fluffy. I'm too happy to write sad, angry Leyton. I'll let them be happy for now. I inserted a little bit of my Serenate love into this chapter as well. Thanks for all the reviews. If anyone has any ideas or anything they'd like to see happen in this story, let me know. And now onto the next chapter!_

**Chapter Five: About You Now**

Peyton took a sip of her champagne, smiling softly. The dinner was going pretty well, better than any of them had expected.

"How'd your business meeting go daddy?" Corrie asked with a mouthful of potatoes.

"No talking with your mouth full." he reminded her gently. "And it went really well. They want me to write another book."

"Luke, that's great!" Peyton said.

"One problem...I've kind of lost my inspiration for writing since...you know." She sighed softly and nodded her head in understanding.

"It'll come back to you, I know it." she assured him. He simply smiled at her, unsure if what she was saying was true.

"Yeah daddy!" Corrie added excitedly. "You could write a book about me!"

"Maybe I will." he said, smirking softly at his daughter. "It'd be a bestseller."

"You could call it, Corrie Scott, best daughter ever!"

"That's a great idea. I'll start writing it tonight." Of course, he wasn't being serious, but Corrie didn't have to know that.

"No daddy, tomorrow. You have to keep Ms. Sawyer company tonight."

"Oh, that's right! I'll wait until tomorrow." Peyton smiled softly, finishing up her food. "Are you finished eating Cor?"

"Mhm." she said, pushing her plate away.

"Go get in your jammies, it's almost bedtime." Corrie rushed up the stairs, wanting them to have some alone time.

"Let me clear the table, you made dinner, it's the least I can do."

"Peyton, you're the guest. You don't have to help." he told her seriously, standing up and picking up Corrie's plate.

"Well I'm helping." she said with a smirk, standing up and taking the plate from him. She walked into the kitchen and set it into the sink. "So uhm...you're not mad at me right?" she asked, turning to face him. She had been nice while his daughter was around, acting like she was perfectly fine, and like she had no problem with Lucas. Now it was time for him to find out how she really felt.

"No...I'm not mad."

"Okay, good..." she said, letting silence take over. "Because you know, us both being angry wouldn't turn out well." She crossed her arms tightly over her chest. He had to know she was still upset, considering numerous times she had tried to talk to him, and he brushed her off like she didn't even exist. Lucas sighed softly and nodded his head. It was clearly time to apologize.

"I'm sorry." He decided that apologizing would be a good start. "I just, I thought you pitied me Peyt...I've tried to keep people that pity me at arm's length. They always think I want to talk about it; they'll bring over casseroles once a day as if I can no longer take care of myself or my daughter; they check up on me constantly, as if them visiting just adds a little brightness to the depressingly sad life they're convinced I lead. I've been doing just fine on my own, I don't need anyone's pity." He hadn't meant to go off into this rant, it just kinda slipped out. Lucas took a deep breath, trying to calm himself. "I'm sorry I just...I didn't want you to feel like you had to talk to me. Not only would it be awkward for you, but it would make me beyond uncomfortable."

"I don't pity you Lucas. I think it's unfair that you had to lose your fiancee, but I don't pity you. I know you can take care of yourself. From what I've seen you've been doing a fantastic job with Corrie. You're a strong guy Lucas, just remember to take some time for yourself every now and then. Don't pity yourself Luke." she replied softly, resting her hand on his.

"Does this mean you forgive me?" he asked with a soft smile, his fingertips brushing against hers. She bit her lip, unable to stop the smile forming on her face.

"Yeah, I guess it does. You're very lucky Lucas Scott, I don't usually forgive people so easily." she said softly, looking up into his eyes.

"I am. Very lucky." He lifted his other hand to brush against her cheek, taking a step closer. "Lucky to have you here...lucky that you forgave me..." he added quietly. Peyton took in a sharp breath, feeling her knees go weak as she heard his soft whisper and felt his fingertips against her skin.

"Luke..." she whispered. This was so different now. Now neither of them were drunk, they had only had one glass of champagne each. She was seeing Lucas's true feelings...or was she? Was this just some game to him? Maybe he thought he would get lucky again if he said the right things.

"Daddy!!" Peyton jerked her head away from him when she heard Corrie call out for Lucas. "Can Ms. Sawyer read me my bedtime story tonight?" she asked softly, now standing in front of them. Sure, the whole point of tonight had been to get her daddy and Ms. Sawyer together, but she wanted some attention too.

"Well you have to ask Ms. Sawyer that." he said with a smile. He had no problem with it, but if Peyton didn't want to he would have understood.

"Of course I will." she said happily. Corrie smiled excitedly and wrapped her small fingers around Peyton's hand, leading her to her room.

"You can see my room and all my stuffed animals!" Peyton just nodded and let her lead her. She had never really been into the whole stuffed animals thing, and she was a bit afraid to see what this little girl's room looked like. Probably pink, lots of pink. "And this is my room!" she exclaimed when they walked in. Peyton was surprised, the walls were a deep purple with a bright yellow border. Definitely a bit unexpected.

"Wow, it's really nice in here."

"Daddy redid it for me last year. He painted it all by himself." she said proudly.

"Wow. Well he did a great job." she replied with a smile. "Okay, what story do you want me to read?" she asked, looking over at her books. "Oscar Wilde? Shakespeare? Please tell me your daddy doesn't read these books to you."

"Sometimes. They are so boring so I fall asleep so fast! I think that's why daddy reads them to me, so I'll fall asleep." Corrie whispered, as if she was sharing some major secret with Peyton.

"How about I tell you a story you've never heard before?" she suggested.

"Yeah, yeah!" Corrie jumped into bed, pulling the covers over and making room for Peyton to sit.

"This is a story by me, okay? No one else has ever heard of this story besides me, and now I'm gonna share it with you."

"So it'll be like our special story?" she asked hopefully, her eyes bright. Peyton smiled and nodded her head. "Yay!"

"Once upon a time, there was a princess named Serena. She was very beautiful with long blonde hair and gorgeous green eyes. And she lived all alone in a big castle." she started, looking down at the little girl.

"All alone?! Where were her mommy and daddy?" she asked, confused.

"Her mommy was up flying with the angels, like our mommies are. And her daddy lived all alone in a different castle, so he could work everyday."

"That stinks. Poor princess."

"Well, the princess never left the castle. She was too afraid to be out in the world on her own. But one day, she got very lonely. She decided that she wasn't going to waste her days away locked up in an empty castle."

"Did she go out?!" Corrie asked eagerly. Peyton nodded her head softly.

"She left the castle and went into town. Serena loved being around all the people, and seeing the stores and buying ice cream." she said, smiling brightly. "So every day when she woke up, she'd get dressed and head into town. Each day she would do different things, like walk through the park, go shopping, go to the movies, everything. But, eventually, she realized she was still lonely."

"She should get a puppy, or a best friend, or someone to kiss! Then she wouldn't be so lonely." Corrie suggested.

"If you listen you'll find out what she does to not be so lonely." Peyton teased with a grin. Corrie made a motion with her hands as if locking her lips and throwing away the key. "One day she was walking to the movie theater, looking around at all the sights. All of a sudden she fell to the ground, someone had run right into her!"

"Oh no! Was she okay?" she asked eagerly, sitting up in bed.

"She was a little surprised, but no bruises or anything." she assured her. "When she looked up, she saw a boy. He apologized for running into her, and they couldn't stop staring at each other."

"Oh like love! What's that called again? Uhm..."

"Love at first sight?"

"Yeah!! Is that what it was?"

"Mhm. So the boy was a prince named Nate, just like your uncle. He had soft brown hair and bright blue eyes. He helped her up and invited her to go to the café with him... Do you think she went?" she asked Corrie, deciding to get her involved with it.

"Yes!! She has to go!"

"You're right. She went with him and they spent the rest of the night drinking coffee and learning all about each other." Peyton smiled down at Corrie, she was definitely getting into the story, and she looked eager to find out what happened next. "So he walked her back to the castle, and he kissed her goodnight. She was so happy, she had butterflies in her stomach and her nerves were all over the place. She didn't sleep at all that night, she just kept replaying her one night with the boy over and over again in her mind." she said, finishing off her story. Corrie sat there, waiting for her to continue, after a long silence she spoke.

"That's it? That can't be it! What happened the next day? Do they ever see each other again? Are they going to get their happy ever after?" She was feeling a bit let down by the way the story ended.

"All of that is in the second part of the story. I'll tell you what happens next the next time I come over." she promised her with a smile. "Now lie down, I'll go get your daddy for you."

"Ms. Sawyer?" she asked before Peyton could leave the room.

"Yeah?"

"I'm really glad you came...it was nice having you in the house...like having a mommy." she whispered honestly. Peyton felt like she was about to cry. She walked back over and sat back down next to the little girl, hugging her softly and pressing a soft kiss to her hair.

"I'm really glad I came too Corrie." she said quietly, forcing back the tears. She didn't want to cry in front of Corrie. After the hug she stood up and walked towards the door. "And Corrie...we're not in school now, you can call me Peyton." Corrie smiled happily and nodded her head.

"I love you Peyton." she said. That just made holding back the tears harder.

"I love you too Corrie." And it was true. She had grown to know and love that little girl, which kind of scared the crap out of her. She was blending in with this family, and she wasn't sure if she was good enough for them. When she walked out of the room she was surprised to see Lucas standing there. "Jesus! How long have you been standing there?" she asked softly.

"Long enough..." he said, smiling softly at her. He had heard everything, the story, their small conversation afterwards, all of it. "I'm going to say goodnight to her...I'll meet you in the living room." Peyton nodded her head and walked down the stairs, wiping away a stray tear. Lucas walked into Corrie's room and sat down on her bed. "So how was Peyton's story?" he asked with a grin.

"Daddy it was amazing! But she didn't finish it...she said next time she would though. So can she come over again soon?" she asked eagerly, ready to pull out the puppy dog eyes if he said no.

"Of course she can."

"I really like Peyton daddy...I want to have her around more often." she informed him. If he knew how much she loved her, maybe he would love her too.

"I really like her too, and I absolutely agree. I'll talk to her about it, okay?" Corrie nodded her head, yawning softly. "Alright, get some sleep baby girl. I'll see you in the morning." After making sure she was all tucked in, and placing a gentle kiss to her forehead, he left, shutting off the light and walking downstairs. "She's all tucked in and probably asleep by- Peyton?" he questioned, sitting down next to her. As soon as Peyton had sat down on the couch, everything washed over her and she had started crying, she hadn't been expecting Lucas to be back so soon, she didn't want him to see her cry. "Hey, what's wrong?" he asked quietly, rubbing her back softly.

"I just...god Luke." she whispered, her head falling into his chest, crying softly. "You have the most amazing little girl in the world and I just... I feel like I'm only going to end up disappointing her."

"You could never disappoint her Peyton." he said quietly, running his fingertips through her hair. "Look at me." he requested, bringing a finger to her chin, forcing her to look into his eyes. "Corrie loves you, and there's nothing you could do that would ever disappoint her." Peyton sniffled softly, knowing that what he was saying was probably true. How was it that he knew exactly what to do, what to say, to make her feel better? She licked her lips softly, looking down at his lips for a moment before bringing her gaze back up to his eyes. Without realizing it she moved in closer to him, soon enough her lips brushed against his. He immediately responded, cupping her cheek gently. His free hand slid down her back, pushing her gently onto his lap, making sure his lips stayed connected with hers.

"Luke..." she mumbled against his lips, her eyes opening for a moment before she felt his tongue slip into her mouth. He groaned, his hands sliding under her dress, massaging her smooth thighs. Peyton gripped his shoulders, pressing herself closer to him eagerly. He had this affect on her, his touch sent shivers through her entire body, his kiss made her melt. It was almost physically impossible for her to say no to him, to stop him. A part of her wanted this, needed to be close to him. Another part of her knew that this wasn't right. She didn't want a relationship like this with him, she wouldn't let herself. Maybe if Corrie wasn't a factor, it'd be a different story. But she was, and Peyton wanted more for her than this. She deserved a mommy, not some woman who came over and slept with her daddy every now and again. "Luke..." she repeated, forcing herself to pull away from him. "We need to stop." She stood up and bit her lip softly, refusing to look at him. Lucas groaned softly when she slid off his lap, missing the feel of her body against his.

"Corrie's asleep...we don't need to stop." he whispered, standing up and wrapping his arms around her waist from behind. His lips pressed against her neck, biting softly.

"No." she said, slipping out of his grasp. "Just stop it." Peyton ran a hand through her hair and turned to face him. "I can't do this anymore." she told him seriously, motioning between the two of them. "I love that little girl, and all she wants is a mommy. I don't want to deny her of that."

"What? How are you denying her of that?"

"Because. Instead of you looking for someone to love, you're busy making out with me. So, we should end this friends with benefits thing so you can find Corrie a real mother." This wasn't what she wanted to say. Peyton wanted to tell him that she really cared about him, and his daughter, and she wanted nothing more than to call that little girl her own. But if Lucas didn't want that, she wasn't going to make a fool out of herself.

"Do you really think that that's what we are?" he asked softly. "Friends with benefits?"

"Well, maybe not the friends part considering you just started speaking to me again tonight." She was lying through her teeth, but she felt like she had to. Her feelings for him were growing way too fast, and it scared her.

"I thought you we were over that Peyt...I'm so sorry, I never should've ignored you like that. But, we're not friends with benefits."

"Oh, really? Let's think about our relationship so far. Making out in a bar, sex, me being upset with you, you ignoring me when I tried to make things right, then you make out with me, practically groping me while your daughter is upstairs sleeping. How does that sound to you?" She had never really thought about it until now, it really did seem like a friends with benefits deal. "I can't handle a friends with benefits thing right now...and I'm not going to deny your daughter of a mommy. She needs someone who loves her, someone you love." Honestly, she just wanted him to say that she was the one he wanted to love. That she was the one who would be the perfect mother for his daughter. She practically held her breath while she waited for him to speak.

"Oh...yeah, I understand." he said quietly, looking down at the floor. Peyton shook her head, swallowing the lump in her throat.

"I'll just go now...I'll be seeing ya." she whispered, holding back the tears and hurrying away from him. Before she could pull the front door open, she felt him pull her back. She looked up at him, a tear slipping down her cheek. God, she was a mess. Crying twice in one night? Way too much. His lips collided with hers, his hands gripping her waist firmly so she couldn't get away. When he pulled away she let her eyes remain closed, savoring that kiss.

"There are two things I know for sure...the first is that Corrie loves you so much. And the second is that...I'm falling for you Peyton Sawyer." he whispered, brushing a strand of hair out of her eyes. She looked into his eyes, seeing the passion, and truth in his words. Even though Lucas had been ignoring her, his feelings for her kept growing, and he couldn't stop it. He didn't want to. She leaned forward and pressed her lips to his softly.

"I'm falling for you too Lucas Scott." she said, a bright smile on her face. "But..."

"Oh great...there's a but." he said with a sigh.

"I want to take things slow." she told him seriously.

"We can totally do that." he whispered, leaning in slowly, brushing his lips against hers. "We can take it so slow." Lucas slid his hand up and down her back, his kisses deep and slow. She laughed softly against his lips.

"Not what I meant." she said, pulling away from him, swatting his chest gently.

"Good...you're laughing. No more tears. I don't like seeing you cry, especially when I know that I'm the reason for your tears." he said honestly, softly. Peyton looked up at him, amazed by the sincerity in his voice.

"You're such a charmer." she replied with a shake of her head.

"Yeah...but I'm serious. I never want to hurt you..." Lucas hated that he had hurt her so much, it really hit him hard, the fact that he had made her cry numerous times. Peyton smiled and nodded her head softly, looking up into his eyes. Than she realized something.

"Luke...what about Corrie?" she asked.

"What do you mean?" he questioned, his arms wrapping around her waist firmly.

"What do we tell her about us?" Peyton's hands rested on his arms, her thumbs brushing against the material.

"Hmm..." he said with a sigh. "We'll be honest. Besides, you heard her, she liked having you here. She loves you Peyton, and I know she'll be ecstatic." She bit her lip softly, looking away from him for a moment. "Unless you don't want to tell her?" A soft smile spread over her face before she looked back at him.

"Of course I want to tell her. I just wanted to be sure that it was okay with you...that it'd make you happy."

"It would make me happier than I've been in a long time." he whispered, smiling and leaning in closer to her. "You make me happy." Their lips connected in a gentle kiss, finally able to express the emotions they had kept bottled up. For this one moment they could truly be happy, together without a care in the world. They just hoped that it would last.


	6. Seeing The Past In The Future

_A/N: So it took me foreverrr to update this fic. I have had practically zero time to myself lately and I've had some difficulty focusing. This chapter ended up turning out way differently than I thought it was going to. Lucas is having a tiny problem that is starting to shine through towards the end of this chapter. The italics are a flashback. Hope you like it! _

**Chapter Six: Seeing The Past In The Future**

Corrie woke up in the morning and went downstairs, turning on the television, waiting for her dad to wake up. She had learned to let Lucas sleep on the weekends. Besides, he never really sleep past 9 o clock. The Wiggles were dancing around on the tv screen, and she was dancing around to the music. She had put on her pink dress up tutu, and a sparkly tiara. The mornings were always fun for Corrie, she got to do whatever she wanted, and it was always a lot of fun. She wouldn't get in trouble for anything, it was great. It was Lucas's favorite part of the day as well. He liked just getting to sleep for a while, without having five million things to stress out about. Around 8:30 he woke up and couldn't help but smile when he saw the head of curly blonde hair resting on his chest. He couldn't help but run his hand through her curls, pressing a gentle kiss to the top of her head.

"Mmm...five more minutes." she mumbled, her arm draped over his abdomen. He brushed his hand against her bare arm, smiling softly. Memories from the night before flashed into his head. It had been one of the greatest nights of his life...

_They were lying together on the couch, his arms wrapped securely around her. _

"_Favorite ice cream flavor?" Peyton asked, tilting her head back to look at him. _

"_Hmm...definitely cookie dough. You?"_

"_Coffee oreo, no contest." _

"_Alright, favorite movie." _

"_That's a tough one...either The Breakfast Club or Fear." she said. "You?"_

"_I don't really have a favorite...really anything in black and white." he replied with a smirk, completely serious. "What about favorite music?" _

"_Oh you can't ask me that." she said with a shake of her head. "There's no way I can pick a favorite. Not possible." Lucas laughed softly and nodded his head in agreement. _

"_I think you're right. Picking one song, or one band, or one genre is way too difficult." One of his hands slid over hers, his fingertips brushing against hers softly. "When was your last relationship?" he asked softly, unsure if he would like the answer. But she knew about his last romantic relationship, he wanted to know about hers. _

"_Last year..." she said, trailing off, taking a deep breath. She didn't really like talking about her past relationships. "I was in a relationship with this guy, Julian...I thought I loved him. We dated for about 7 months."_

"_What happened?" he asked after a few moments of silence, urging her to continue._

"_He cheated on me with this model turned actress. In our bed actually." she said, shrugging it off. "I was so mad at first but than I realized that he just wasn't the one for me. I threw myself into teaching and swore off of men for a while." _

"_What doesn't kill you makes you stronger I guess." he said with a smile, his fingertips running through her hair. "When did you decide to get back into the field?" he asked curiously. _

"_When I met you at the bar." she replied with a smirk, looking over at him. He smiled and pushed forward, kissing her softly. Peyton smiled as he pulled away, opening her eyes to look at him. _

"_I'll never cheat on you. That Julian guy definitely made a huge mistake." he said seriously. "You deserve so much more than that." Peyton blushed softly, biting her lip nervously. He was so sweet, and she could tell that he really meant every word. _

"_Why are you so good to me already?" she asked with a smile. In all of her past relationships, guys were only really sweet to her when they had screwed up. _

"_I guess that's the kind of guy I am. It helps that you're so beautiful." he replied with a grin. Peyton pressed her mouth against his gently. His hands gripped her waist, pulling her on top of him. _

"_Mmm, I should get going." she whispered, pulling away before they got too into it. Lucas glanced at his watch and shook his head. _

"_It's really late. Why don't you just stay here tonight?" He didn't plan on taking no for an answer. _

"_Luke..." she whispered, looking down at him._

"_You can sleep in the guest room if you want...I just don't want you driving home. It's late, and we've been drinking."_

"_Two glasses hardly qualifies as drinking." she teased with a smile. _

"_Well I'm not going to take no for an answer." _

"_Fine. But I'm going to need something to wear to bed." _

"_Not a problem." He sat up with her straddling his lap, she tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and slid off of his lap. _

"_Come on...I'm tired." she said, sliding her hand over his and attempting to pull him off of the couch. He sighed and got up, keeping his hand connected with hers as they walked upstairs. He pointed out the bathroom and the guest bedroom._

"_I don't have much. You can pick whatever you want." he told her as they walked into his room. He sat on the bed and let her go through his closet. She looked around for a bit before her eyes landed on a gray sweater. That would do. She carefully pulled it off the hanger and turned to face Lucas. _

"_This'll do." she said with a smile, holding up the sweater and walking over towards the bed. _

"_My favorite sweater." he told her, smirking. "So I'll see you in the morning." Lucas gripped her waist, pulling her closer to him. _

"_Yeah..." she replied, practically inaudible. Her hand gripped the back of his neck, pulling his mouth to hers eagerly. He kissed her back, his hands resting on her lower back, pressing her close to him. She wrapped her legs around his waist, pulling her mouth from his to kiss his neck softly. A gentle groan fell from his lips as he tilted his head to the side. Her lips trailed up his neck, and his jaw, sliding back to his mouth. Lucas slid his tongue out of his mouth, brushing against her lips. Her mouth opened quickly, her tongue brushing against his eagerly. She pulled away, trying to catch her breath. She had to stop herself before she got too into it. "I should uhm, go get changed and hop in bed." she said breathily. _

"_Yeah...you're right." he replied, swallowing gently. Lucas looked into her eyes, pressing his mouth to hers once more. "Goodnight Peyton." he whispered._

"_Goodnight Luke." She slid off of his lap and walked over to the door, turning back to look at him once more. She tucked her hair behind her ear and walked off towards the bathroom. Peyton changed quickly, folding her clothes and walking into the guest room. It was a nice little room, a bed in the corner, a dresser, a mirror. She placed her clothing in one of the empty drawers, sitting down on the bed. The quiet was weird. In her apartment there was always something going on, some sort of noise. Here it was completely silent, not a single car was driving by. She flicked off the lights before sliding back on the bed, maneuvering her legs under the covers. Being in his house, spending the night, all alone in the guest room was kind of creeping her out. Peyton turned onto her side, closing her eyes. For some reason, she just couldn't get her eyes to stay closed. All she wanted to do was go back to Lucas's room and spend the night in there with him, but she wasn't sure if he would want her to. She rolled over onto her back, staring up at the ceiling. She couldn't help but wonder how it'd feel to be lying in Lucas's arms. Glancing over at the clock next to the bed, she figured she had been in here for about 20 minutes now. That was more than enough time. She walked back to Lucas's room, knocking on the doorframe lightly. He rolled over, sitting up a bit. _

"_You okay?" he asked, sitting up further. _

"_Yeah, I'm fine. I just couldn't sleep in the guest room and...I was just wondering if I could sleep in here, with you..." she said quietly. Lucas smiled softly and pulled the blanket down a bit._

"_Come on." he whispered, patting the space next to him gently. She walked over to him, sliding her legs under the blanket, lying down next to him. _

"_Thank you." she replied appreciatively, looking over at him. _

"_No problem. To be honest I couldn't fall asleep either...but now that you're in here I think I'll be able to." he said seriously. "What about you? Think you'll be able to sleep?" Peyton nodded her head gently. _

"_Now that I'm in here with you...yeah." she replied softly. She was never really this openly flirtatious, there was just something about him, she couldn't resist it. _

"_Goodnight Peyton." He pressed a gentle kiss to her forehead, smiling softly. She blushed lightly, grateful for the darkness. _

"_Goodnight Lucas." she replied softly, letting her eyes close. He looked over at her for a few moments, before letting sleep wash over him. _

Somehow in the middle of the night their bodies must have intertwined together. She felt so right in his arms, and she fit there perfectly.

"Time to wake up now." he whispered in her ear, pressing a gentle kiss below the lobe.

"Mmm..." she mumbled, rubbing her eyes with one hand. "Time to wake up already?" Her voice was hoarse and a bit raspy, and it was getting to Lucas.

"Mhm. It's almost 9." She looked up at him, smiling softly. He leaned in to kiss her but she quickly threw her hand over her mouth. "What's wrong?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.

"I haven't brushed my teeth yet...do you have an extra toothbrush?" she asked. He laughed and nodded his head.

"Yeah, come on." They climbed out of bed and Lucas led her to the bathroom, grabbing an extra toothbrush out of the cabinet. The two of them stood there, brushing their teeth together, and for a moment Lucas was reminded of mornings with Brooke. Taking showers together, brushing their teeth together in the mornings... He quickly pushed the thoughts from his head as he rinsed his mouth out. Lucas stood there, watching her finish up. "Am I allowed to kiss you now?" he asked with a smile as she turned to face him. She grinned and nodded her head. Peyton's hands rested on Lucas's waist as he pulled her body into his, kissing her gently. "I'm glad you stayed." he said after pulling away from her a bit.

"Me too." she replied with a smile. "Even though I didn't really have a choice in the matter." He smirked at her and shrugged his shoulders.

"Are you ready?" he asked.

"Ready for what?"

"To see Corrie..." Peyton sighed and looked at herself in the mirror.

"I guess I have to be right?" She looked up at him and than down at herself. "I need some pants." she decided.

"Why?" he fake whined. "You look perfect just like this." Lucas whispered in her ear, his hands running over her thighs.

"Mmm Luke..." she moaned, her eyes closing. He smirked and looked at her, he couldn't believe his eyes. He saw Brooke. Flowing dark hair, her deep brown eyes, her perfect figure. His smile slipped away, and he lifted a hand to his face, squeezing his eyes shut for a moment. Peyton opened her eyes and looked at him, confused by the expression on her face. "Luke? You okay?" she asked quietly. He nodded his head softly, finally opening his eyes and seeing Peyton standing before him.

"Yeah, sorry. I was just kind of zoning out." She nodded her head, deciding to let the subject go. "I'll, uh, grab you a pair of sweats." Lucas walked back into his room, heading to his closet. "What the hell is wrong with you?" he muttered to himself. "You need to get a hold of yourself..." He grabbed the sweats and turned around, smiling at Peyton. "Here. You can tie these ones so they should be alright."

"Thanks." She tucked the sweats under her arm and walked closer to him. "You sure your okay?"

"Mhm. I'm fine. Don't worry about it." He kissed her on the lips as if to further prove his point. "I'm going to head downstairs and start cooking breakfast. I'll meet you down there." Lucas pressed his mouth to hers once more before walking out of the room. Peyton watched him go, a bit uneasy. Something was going on with Lucas, and it had to be something since he was lying to her about it. She just hoped that things wouldn't end before they had a chance to really begin.

_A/N: Reviews are great!! _

_Next Chapter:_

_- Leyton have their first official date_

_- Rathan babysit Corrie_

_- Lucas and Peyton run into one of Brooke's best friends_


End file.
